Bethany-
I was born and raised a "Preacher's Kid," in Astoria, Oregon. When I was 13 years old, I went on my first trip to Mexico... I fell in love.
I continued those trips all throughout my teen years; it continued to build a passion in me for the culture, the children, and missions work.
After I graduated from high school, I attended Life School in Salem, OR. Life School was a leadership discipleship training center. My life was drastically changed during the three years I attended. I learned how to be real and the value of authenticity. I learned about God's grace and love in a way that I'd never experienced before!
I also had the opportunity to attend International Teachers Training Organization in Guadalajara, Mexico. I am certified to teach English as a Second Language and have taught as a tutor as well as in a university.
I have a passion to love. A passion to see grace accepted and understood in the hearts of His people. A passion to see people walk in their true identity. A passion for everyone to experience "Real Life!"
Brandon-
Well to start off my life growing up was not picture perfect. I can remember moving to 13 different places by my senior year in high school. At the age of 18 I got the opportunity to travel to Grand Goâve, Haiti. It was during that short trip in my life that I realized what I was missing in my life. The people there had so little but were grateful for so much! That kind of joy and love has been what I have been striving for ever since then.
In 2005 I made the biggest jump of my life and asked Bethany to marry me. On top of that I was leaving for Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico just a few months later. She must have been crazy because she said yes! 6 Months later I moved back home, we got married and I started school. I graduated from Life School in 2009 and since then have been to Mexico multiple times. The Lord has given me many opportunities to serve in my local community but the dream he has planted in me has been to minister across borders. It's a privilege to be here with these kids today!
As of today I am serving in the church we are apart of here in Guaymas, Sonora Mexico . I also lead an outreach program where we take groups from within the community and go to the many different outreaches and ministries. It's a joy and pleasure to be serving God right where he has placed us!
Together-
Brandon and I have been together since I was a senior in high school and we've been married since 2006! It's been an amazing time of growth, strengthening, stretching and love!
For 4 years we mentored and were therapeutic foster parents for teenage boys for Christian Community Placement Center (now called Connections 365). During that time we were stretched far beyond what we thought was possible. Being in our early/mid 20's raising teenagers was, well, to say the least... intense. But, can I say absolutely amazing also?! We had the opportunity to be a part of about 40 kids' lives. So many of those boys have really become our family, it's been amazing!
After that we served as full time house parents with an orphanage in Guaymas, Sonora, called Kings Kids Orphanage. Our passion has always been to work with kids and orphanages. We want to see the kids experience LIFE, the FATHER, joy, love and what it's really like to be a part of a family! This "orphanage" or "home," as they like to call it, is an incredible example of family. The kids are a part of something powerful, not just living in dorm rooms surviving. They are important and powerful and they're taught to believe that and walk in it!
We are now beginning a program to help support and equip the local orphanages. There are a few different ways that we want to equip and support, the first is to develop an introductory training program to offer to new hires. The second is to offer on-going training to the staff and directors, and the third is to begin a one-on-one mentoring program. Developing this program will be carried out in a span of a few years, but we are looking forward to seeing it all come together.
At the same time, we're in the process of taking over the leadership of Kings Kids Orphanage. We are passionate about training our staff in "trauma informed care-giving." We believe that each of our kids can find healing from their pasts, and success in their futures!